Kaoru was born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1975.  He graduated from The Interlochen Arts Academy after which he moved to New York to study jazz flute and saxophone at the Manhattan School of Music. Kaoru performed and recorded with Blue Note recording artists Stefon Harris and Jason Moran.  After graduating, Kaoru moved to Japan and studied Noh Kan and Edo Matsuri Bayashi styles of fue (bamboo flute) in Tokyo. He then entered the two year apprenticeship program for the international touring taiko ensemble Kodo and became a performing member in 1999. Kaoru performed and recorded with Kodo in 16 different countries, working with such luminaries as Zakir Hussein, Aierto Moreira, Giovanni Hidalgo and Tamasaburo Bando and performing in such esteemed venues as Carnegie Hall and the Kabukiza Theater in Tokyo.  Kaoru specializes in the various fue and composes music. He has been the artistic director of Kodo's annual world music festival, Earth Celebration from 2005. In 2006 Kaoru left Kodo to pursue a career as a solo artist based out of New York City.  He travels throughout the US, Canada and Japan performing and teaching.
www.watanabekaoru.com

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